


this party ain't private

by Duck_Life



Category: Z-O-M-B-I-E-S (Disney Movies)
Genre: Apologies, Gen, High School, Mending Fences, Prom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:55:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23163616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duck_Life/pseuds/Duck_Life
Summary: Jacey runs into Addison at the Prawn.
Relationships: Addison Wells & Jacey
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19





	this party ain't private

When Addison’s feet start to ache, she takes a break from dancing. Zed and Bonzo appear to be teaching Wynter some zombie dance moves. She sips punch and watches them, relieved and elated that everyone’s finally getting along. 

Jacey sinks down beside her. He’s shed his sequined dance jacket and seems to be watching the werewolf-zombie-human dance mash with mild interest. Addison politely ignores the newest member of her cousin’s entourage, expecting him to do the same. 

He doesn’t.

“Hey,” Jacey says, leaning forward. “Um, I’m really sorry for being a jerk about your hair. And for shredding the letters you wrote to your boyfriend. And… for shredding the letters your boyfriend wrote back to you. And anything else you can think of.” 

Addison purses her lips, wondering how long to keep him stew. (It’s not that long— she’s too nice for her own good.) “Thank you for saying that,” she says. “So… how’s life as an Acey?” 

He frowns. “It’s… a lot of pressure,” he admits, glancing across the dance floor where Bucky is tentatively trying to dance with Willa, who looks seconds away from taking a bite out of him. “I just wanna cheer, you know? At my old school, I was never the popular kid or the guy in the clique. But every time Bucky opens his mouth, I just wanna listen to him and do whatever he says. He’s so…”

“Charismatic?”

“Hot.” 

“That’s my cousin,” Addison laughs, wrinkling her nose. 

“I know, I know, sorry.” 

“It’s fine,” she says, still grinning. “Did you know Tracey before he graduated?” 

“No, I just transferred here over the summer,” Jacey explains. 

“Tracey and Bucky were… well, I don’t know exactly,” Addison says. “Bucky acts like such an open book, but the truth is he’s really private about some things. I do know that he locked himself in his room watching ‘Gilmore Girls’ and eating ice cream when Tracey went away to college.” 

“Get out,” Jacey laughs. “Bucky Buchanan is… human?” 

“Jury’s out,” Addison says. “I mean, I spent the last week thinking I might be a werewolf so. There’s a non-zero chance that Bucky’s DNA is some kinda freaky.” 

“Maybe he’s part merman.” 

“Yeah, he’s the top half of a merman,” Addison says, giggling. She splashes a bit of punch on her dress. “Shoot.”

“Here,” Jacey says, whipping out a Tide pen and blotting at the spill to keep it from staining. Addison watches him with some amazement. 

“So… you’re prepared for anything.”

“Bucky custom-ordered us these suits,” Jacey explains, holstering his Tide pen. “I figured if I ruin mine he’d never let me hear the end of it.” 

“You don’t have to be afraid of Bucky, you know,” Addison sighs. “I’m telling you— he’s a big softie once you get past the levels of plastic and narcissism.” 

“I’d… I’d kinda like to see that,” Jacey admits. 

“Stick around,” Addison says. “Stacey and Lacey— annoying as they are, they’re really loyal. To Bucky.” 

“The way they treat you— the way  _ I _ treated you— it’s not okay,” Jacey says. “No more of that. I mean, if I have to be a dick to be an Acey…” 

Addison turns to look at him as he falls quiet. “You’d back out?”

“I don’t know,” Jacey admits, looking cowed. “That’s what I was going to say but then I couldn’t get the words out.”

“I used to wear a wig, you know,” Addison says. “And Zed… we all change ourselves to fit in. We all do things that aren’t really  _ us _ so other people will like us.”

“Yeah, I’m figuring that out,” Jacey says. “It sucks.” 

“Then don’t do it,” Addison says, as if it’s that easy. She  _ knows _ it’s not that easy, especially after watching Zed’s failed campaign for student president. “Look— cheer is what you make it. If you want to make it about being a snob and excluding people, go ahead. But you don’t have to. You can make it about inclusivity and… and motivating people to be the best versions of themselves. You… you could even ask Bucky and the others to call you by your actual name.” 

“I do miss that,” he admits. 

“High school is scary,” Addison says. “Monsters or no monsters. But you’re not standing on the sidelines. You’re a part of this now. You can make changes where you want.” 

Jacey nods thoughtfully, taking a moment to survey the dance floor while he thinks about that. “You’re really wise,” he says finally. “You should be one of those peer mediator… things.” 

“That’s a thing?” 

“Bucky’s starting it,” Jacey says. “Apparently he felt bad about how the presidential debate went, and he’s starting a peer mediator program at school to help people work out their problems without, y’know, resorting to namecalling and stuff.”

“Oh,” Addison says, eyes wide. It’s… it’s actually a good idea. She’s impressed. “Yeah… maybe I should sign up to be one,” she says. 

“To be honest, I feel like you already… mediated me pretty well,” Jacey points out. 

“Good to hear.” Addison finishes off her punch and looks out at all the people at Prawn— werewolves and zombies and cheerleaders, all dancing together like it’s perfectly natural. If they can all get along, maybe she and the Aceys don’t have to be enemies. 

After all, stranger things have happened.


End file.
